


Pet

by Behaxeltzi



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, Incest, M/M, Mute! Dave, Questionable Consent, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-21
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2017-12-15 16:44:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/851762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Behaxeltzi/pseuds/Behaxeltzi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John is a mildly successful piano player who finds himself on the very wrong side of the internet. Subsequently he ends up purchasing a living person as a result and knows he's in way over his head.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The strange side of the internet

**Author's Note:**

> Past the parts I already have written I don't know when this is going to get updated as it kind of just came to me in moments of boredom. 
> 
> Also the first two chapters a lot of stuff is mostly hinted at or implied but when things get told from Dave's prospective it's going to get a whole lot more explicit. So just warning you about that now.
> 
> No beta reader for this one so if you spot a mistake or something doesn't make sense feel free to point out!

John Egbert was a 20 year old mildly successful piano player. He played the occasional concert but usually made his earnings by playing in bars, clubs and pubs. He additionally sold some of his music online as downloads. He wasn’t rolling in money exactly but he was able to live comfortably with a healthy savings account as a backup. He was by no means struggling to survive.

It was 2:30 in the morning and he currently he found himself on the strange side of the internet having yet to go to sleep for the night. For some bizarre reason now completely lost to him he’d found himself looking up unusual fetishes and had discovered that puppets much to his own surprise were in fact a thing that people developed fetishes over. Creepy as that was to know he found himself intrigued enough to Google and find out more.

Eventually he found himself on a puppet porn site about things called ‘Smuppets’ which were even he had to admit some rather phallic looking plush toys. After some sleep addled haphazard clicking he soon found himself staring at what appeared to be the sale of a living person, although it stated ‘pet’ the picture was definitely that of a person; a red eyed, blond teenager or young adult to be exact. It definitely smacked of something all kinds of illegal, despite this he couldn’t help but feel entranced by the boy staring at him from the photo.

He looked at a guess about 16/17 though the ad stated he was 19, the wording of the ad also making it sound as though his current ‘owner’ couldn’t afford to keep him and that his name was Dave. That he was ‘quiet’ and obedient but also able and willing even eager to please ‘its’ (…his… corrected John in his head) new owner in any way he or she could see fit. That precise wording struck John as being a little odd and he was too tired to puzzle out its actual meaning. That was until he clicked ‘more images’ and the meaning of those words all but smacked him in the face. It certainly woke him up. Although it was in fact his desk that smacked him in the face as his elbow had slipped on the desk and sent his face plummeting right into the damn thing. When he’d looked back up he was nursing a sore head.

The new photos on the screen were of the same blond boy though John could now see he was exceptionally pale, as if he hadn’t been outside in a very long time which was probably the case. These new photos were compromising in nature and he was completely naked in all of them apart from a collar around his neck. He felt a definite tightening in his boxers.

But he also found himself feeling more than a little sick….part of that probably to do with him also being turned on. Rationally he knew he should call the authorities and report this, but at the same time he had the completely irrational sense that he had to be the one to rescue this boy….to rescue Dave. He was however at least aware that this irrational line of thought could be down to sleep deprivation and also the tightness in his underwear. So he bookmarked the page and made a note on his note pad to take a look again in the morning. He closed the page and shut down his computer for the night before dragging himself yawning and tired with a throbbing head to bed.

Several hours later he work up not even remembering his stroll into the not only strange but also illegal side of the internet, though his head still twinged a bit. He made himself a coffee, some toast for breakfast and then sat down in front of his computer ready to do a bit of browsing before getting to work on a new composition. As it booted up he looked over his desk idly before spotting the note he’d left for himself the previous night. The note giving his memory a little nudge of his late hours or rather ridiculously early hours browsing. Before he knew it he was back on the smuppet site staring at photos of this ‘pet’ again. Alarm bells started ringing in his head immediately this time, begging him to alert the authorities, but as he reached for his phone, it wasn’t the emergency services he ultimately dialled. It was the contact number of the seller. 

Alarm bells were still ringing in the back of John’s head even as he drove himself to down town Seattle. He was ignoring them by recalling the conversation he’d had with the ‘seller’ on the phone the previous Day. When the guy had picked up at first he’d given John the impression that he’d just rudely interrupted him in the middle of something important, but once he made his intentions clear the guy immediately warmed up to him. The guy who he learned was called Dirk Strider had said he’d been starting to think that no one wanted to buy Dave off of him. He’d explained that he did really need to get rid of his ‘pet’ as he couldn’t afford to keep him and had debt collectors chasing him. John was left with the overwhelming impression that the guy was in desperate need of money. The price for Dave had been unsurprisingly steep and asked for in all cash up front. To afford buying Dave….(and he really hated to admit that he was in fact buying a person) John had had to significantly dip into his emergency savings, and now less than half of it remained…but then was there really a value you could put on another person? On their life?

It wasn’t long before he was nervously knocking on the battered front door of a top floor apartment. The guy that answered was tall and well built with broad shoulders. He had blond hair sticking out from under a baseball cap and black pointy sun glasses that John probably would have laughed at if the guy didn’t cut such an intimidating figure.  
“Yeah?” His voice was gruff and once again he sounded as if John had just rudely interrupted him in the middle of something.   
“Hi..um I’m John Egbert…..we…spoke on the phone…”  
The man’s face seemed to barely move though the faint signs of surprise were there briefly. He lent out the door and inspected the landing, probably suspicious and looking for other people. Once he seemed satisfied that John was alone he stood back and signalled for John to follow him inside. The first thing John noticed as he closed the door was that there seemed to be some furniture missing, lines and clean patches on the walls and floor showed signs of furniture that had once been there possibly for a long time but recently removed. John guessed he really was desperate for cash if he was selling off his possessions.

“I assume you have the money that we discussed and you can take it off my hands today?” The man asked as he led John into an almost empty living room, the guy appeared to be sleeping on a futon rather than a bed and there was a patch on the floor where clearly a sofa had once been.  
“I….yeah…of course,” John answered a little hesitantly, he had to admit this guy did intimidate him. He reached into his coat and pulled out a fat envelope. Dirk started to count the money the moment he took it from John’s hands. A brief ghost of a smile passed over his features when he seemed satisfied.

“Well this is all in order so I’ll just go and get it for you,” he said before disappearing from the room and walking up stairs, leaving John standing in the practically empty living room feeling nervous and more than a little bit awkward. He really wished Dirk would stop referring to Dave as an ‘it’, it just felt so wrong…what he was doing was wrong.  
There was some shuffling over head, perhaps the signs of a (albeit weak) struggle? The alarm bells in the back of his mind picked up again but he pushed them away, he’d paid, he was now committed to this no matter the outcome.

After a minute or so of continued awkward waiting Dirk reappeared leading the boy by the hand. There was an almost dead look in the boy’s eyes and definite family resemblance to the older man, this caused John’s stomach to churn a little, this guy had done this to a member of his own family, broken him down into less than a person and used him for his own self gratification and sexual pleasure. He wasn’t even wearing anything other than a pair of boxers and the same collar from all the photos, did this man really expect John to lead him out of the building almost naked? Did Dave really mean so little to him? And his skin…it was cover with small bruises and scars. 

“Just a couple of things before I let you go. He can’t talk so best not to expect to get any conversation out of him. He can bath and clean himself but you’ll probably want to keep an eye on him. Here’s all his things and Documents,” Dirk explained before handing John just one plastic shopping bag of things. Obviously Dave had very meagre belongings. “Also don’t even think of calling me or bringing him back if you’re unsatisfied, because I won’t be taking him back and I don’t want to know after this, understand?” He explained further, he obviously had no intention of keeping contact or in returning John’s money should he decide he doesn’t want Dave for any reason. “He’s clean and healthy; he hasn’t got any diseases though obviously he’s a bit used, so you can just take him and do whatever the fuck you want with him.”   
John swallowed hard, this boy looked like he’d been through hell and it seemed like his ‘owner’ was alluding to so much more than he was willing to directly divulge.   
“Oh…yeah I understand….thanks..” John replied uncertainly after realising he’d not responded to anything Dirk has said. He took his jacket off and put it around Dave before hesitantly taking him by the hand and began to leave. As he pulled the door open Dirk called to his back. “He’s your problem now, remember that.”

John hastily led Dave down to his car, wanting to get away as fast as possible. He noticed that Dave flinched and hesitated when he entered direct sunlight. Of course that would make sense if he’d been trapped inside all the time, he probably had sensitivity issues to bright light and probably particularly direct sunlight. John muttered a sorry as he led him to the car, getting Dave to sit in the back and putting the bag on the seat next to him. He helped Dave to strap in and as he drove home tried to swallow his nervousness. The alarm bells once again picking up again in the back of his mind, telling him he’d probably just made a huge mistake and it wasn’t too late to take this boy to the police and tell them everything. Well he’d probably just see how things went for the time being.


	2. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John gets Dave home but realises Dave is more damaged than he initially thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta reader on this fic so if you spot mistakes or something doesn't make sense feel free to let me know. Also again in a few chapters things will probably change to Dave's perspective and get more explicit. 
> 
> Anyway Enjoy.

Things didn’t improve much when John finally got home. The pet…..boy….Dave just stood in the doorway, he looked dead in the eyes, lost and all kinds of broken holding onto the edges of John’s jacket to keep it around himself. It hurt something inside John to see another human being just so utterly defeated. He had to help….had to fix him somehow.   
“Umm….you…you can come in Dave. This is your home now,” John explained nervously but Dave showed no signs of having understood him and this just worried John more. Maybe something in the bag he was given would help. John walked through to his living room and after a moment heard the sound of bare feet on carpet following after him. John sat down on his sofa and watched as Dave took in his new surroundings, his face not changing and him not appearing to curious at all. If anything John would say he looked uncertain….not that he could say that was particularly surprising.

After a while Dave joined John on the sofa, but not just joined. He laid down with his head in John’s lap and causing him to jolt slightly. Needless to say John hadn’t expected that and wasn’t quite sure how to react so for the moment he just let Dave lay there thinking that maybe it comforted him somehow. 

While Dave made himself comfortable in his lap, John investigated the bag Dirk had given him. There was only one set of clothes and John wondered why the man couldn’t have dressed Dave in them instead of making him leave the house with nothing but his underwear and John’s jacket. He sighed….he was going to have to get Dave more clothes…maybe he should have asked Dirk if there were more….but then he gets the feeling he wouldn’t have cared like he’d said Dave was John’s problem now. Under the clothes was a food and water bowl like the kind you’d have for a dog or a cat and that really sent chills down John’s spine. That guy really had treated Dave like an animal. He put the bowls to one side intending to throw them away once he was finished going through the bag. Eventually he pulled out what appeared to be Dave’s birth certificate, there were the names of his parents which John didn’t recognise for obvious reasons and his surname “Strider,” his name was Dave Strider. He must have been Dirk’s kid brother and that thought really did make John’s stomach churn. Not only were they related but that man had done this to his own little brother, he clapped his hand to his mouth as he tried not to think about how much worse the situation could possibly be. He felt sick knowing that Dave had been broken and turned into an object of pleasure, made to be less than human by someone he should have been able to trust, someone who should have cared for him. 

Slowly John became aware that something was rubbing his leg. He looked down to see that Dave was rubbing the top and inside of his thigh. He didn’t know if he was doing it to comfort himself or because he could tell John was upset…..or even because….he thought that he should. The sensation was sending tingling sensations across John’s body and it made him feel a little uneasy, he wasn’t sure if he was enjoying that or not…..was sure he probably shouldn’t, and that he should get Dave to stop…..but wasn’t sure he wanted to.   
He assumed it was okay to touch him, but he wasn’t sure how Dave would react if he did. Eventually he put his hand on Dave’s shoulder, felt him jolt slightly under his touch. John frowns, he wasn’t sure he wanted to learn just how damaged Dave was and in what ways……he was probably going to find out never the less.

John was yanked out of his thoughts when Dave started to grope him harder and further up his thighs, causing him to squirm as he started to feel a growing pleasurable sensation building in his nether regions. His conscience fought with his bodies growing desire to let Dave continue, before eventually making the right decision by taking a hold of Dave’s hand and moving it away from his leg before the boy could press further towards his crotch. Dave sat up giving John a slightly confused look, as if he was asking what he’d done wrong.

“You umm…” John coughed awkwardly, “you don’t need to do that,” he explained. Dave continued to give him a confused look before moving away from John to curl up at the other end of the sofa looking a little bit more miserable than he did before. John recalled Dirk telling him that Dave couldn’t talk, but he hadn’t heard him make a sound at all since taking him away from there…he wondered if it was because he physically couldn’t make sound or because Dirk had beaten it out of him. He sighed and turned the TV on to drown out the silence to take his mind off things, give his brain a chance to relax a little. However he also wanted to see if it would provoke a reaction out of Dave, it didn’t, in fact he just seemed to curl up on himself even more. Again John didn’t blame him, he was suddenly in an environment he wasn’t familiar with, and with a person he didn’t know. Sold off like another possession, and though no one’s fault except his own John now had another human life on his hands. 

By rights Dave should be an independent adult by now either in college or with a job, but through the selfish acts of another he wasn’t…how did you fix that? The part of John’s brain that had earlier been ringing with alarm bells was now saying “I told you so.” He could still go to the authorities about this, but he was also being more than a little selfish himself and silenced those thoughts, telling himself that he’d figure it out himself. Somewhere in the back of his head he wanted to be depended on….he wanted to be the hero even though he knew that was wrong. 

When dinner rolled around John not for the first and certainly not the last time found himself at a loss. What did Dave eat? What even did Dir-….that man feed him? He probably didn’t want to know the answer to that one either. Would he make Dave sick if he fed him the wrong thing? Or too much? He eventually decided that something simple like eggs and toast was probably a safe choice. When he got up to start preparing food he noticed that Dave got up and followed him into his cramped kitchen, sitting on the floor as out of the way as possible. This caused John to frown wondering why Dave didn’t just sit at the table, small as it was it could at least fit the two of them.   
It didn’t take long for John to finish cooking, after all eggs and toast was hardly complicated. He set both the plates down on the table and got a glass of water for Dave not knowing what else to give him. He sat down at the table but Dave showed no sign of moving or of even comprehending that he was supposed to sit there too. John took a calming breath standing up and then crouching down in front of Dave. 

“Dave we eat our food at the table….do you understand?” John tried to explain as the blond boy slowly lifted his gaze from the floor and nodded slowly, he looked a little confused but seemed to understand. John gently took him by the hands and stood up pulling Dave up with him. He let go of one of Dave’s hands to pull the chair out before guiding him to sit down. He looked confused by the set up; obviously he was not used to eating at a table. John sat down opposite and started eating, using his toast to scoop up the egg, after a moment Dave started doing the same, mimicking John’s actions and finishing the simple meal quickly once he got the hang of it. John also showed him how to drink from his glass and again Dave mimicked him but with slightly less success, spilling a lot of water down his bare chest. It wasn’t exactly like he was learning from scratch; it was more he needed to be reminded of how to do things that he he’d forgotten how to do. The damage done to him by his brother and the behaviours forced on him needed to be undone, Dave needed to be reminded that he was a person, and John was going to start by treating him like one. 

When they’d finished John helped Dave dry up and gave him the single set of clothes that Dirk had provided so that he wouldn’t be walking around half naked all the time. At least he didn’t need any help to dress himself. John showed Dave around his house, letting him know where the bathroom and toilet were and anything else that seemed necessary. Fortunately John had a spare room for when friends or family visited; this was going to have to be Dave’s room from now on. He explained this to Dave that this was his room and he could do whatever he wanted with it, and he made sure that Dave understood this and to let him know if he needed anything. He seemed to understand what John was saying but communication was still difficult and completely one sided. The ever continuing silence was a bit unsettling; he’d have to find a way to communicate that included some input from Dave. 

The rest of the night passed without much to remark. John sat down to watch TV again with Dave once again curling up on the other end of the sofa, this time with his back to the TV; like he had no interest in it at all, leading John to think that he must be very bored with nothing to do.

Eventually John got tired of watching the TV and got up to go to bed, Dave same as hours before when John had got up to make dinner, got up and followed him. Dave followed John everywhere as he got ready for bed and even to his bedroom. John turned and faced him at this point sighing a little.  
“Dave you have your own bed, in your own room,” he reminded him as he directed him to what had previously been his spare room. Dave seemed to contemplate this before disappearing into the room by himself, once again seeming a little bit miserable at this prospect, John told himself he was probably just imagining it or he was tired.


	3. Collar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave's behaviour begins to trouble John. He wishes Dave would let him ditch that collar and looks for a way for them both to communicate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta reader on this fic so if you spot mistakes or something doesn't make sense feel free to let me know. Next chapter will probably be a flash back from Dave's perspective so warning you all now it's going to get a lot more explicit.

During the night John became increasingly uncomfortable and aware that his movement was somewhat restricted and that something heavy was lying on top of him. He opened his eyes a little as he slowly woke up, his eyes not quite focusing on the room around him. He turned them down toward what was laying on top of him and he was met with a mop of blond hair and almost yelped when he realised it was Dave. 

His head was resting on John’s chest and his arms were wrapped tightly around him and as far and John could tell he was almost completely naked apart from his boxers and that collar around his neck. He squirmed a little but this only made Dave tighten his hold on John but he relaxed again moments later, as if it was some sort of natural reflex. 

Very slowly John lifted his back, moving his own hands under himself carefully so that he could take hold of Dave’s and slide them out. Once he was free from Dave’s grip and being very careful not to wake him, he slowly rolled Dave off of himself and into a space on the bed next to him. Able to move and breathe freely again John sat up a little to check his clock, he groaned lightly when he saw it was only 2:30am. True it was later than this the previous night that he had gone to bed, but it had been a long day and he was incredibly tired. His bed was a double so it easily had enough space to fit the two of them comfortably, it just worried John a little that Dave had climbed into his bed in the first place when he’d thought that he’d made it clear that Dave had his own room and his own bed to sleep in. John rolled on his side with his back to Dave and tried to get comfortable, noting that he could barely hear Dave breathing before falling back to sleep. 

John’s next awakening was even more awkward and concerning. He could feel something wet, warm and slippery running up his neck again and again and someone was once again holding onto him, this time with their legs tangled around John’s own. It didn’t take long for John to realise that it was Dave’s tongue he could feel on the back of his neck and therefore Dave’s legs that were tangled with his own. Once the realisation truly hit he sat bolt upright, blushing furiously and telling himself he hadn’t been enjoying that. Dave sat up next to him after a moment and began pressing kisses to John’s neck and ear, licking him occasionally and causing him to shudder with unexpected pleasure. John was about ready to just give in and let him continue but had enough sense to both stop himself and Dave from going any further just as his hands were starting to encroach on John’s legs.

John gently took hold of Dave’s hands and moved away from him, giving them both a little space. He took a moment to think as Dave watched him through almost dead eyes. 

“Dave you……you don’t have to do things like that,” he hesitated to say ‘to me’ so instead said, “for me,” John explained patiently realising this probably wasn’t going to be the last time he was going to have to explain this. To John’s unpleasant surprised Dave looked a little disheartened at this, had he actually been wanting to ‘please’ him like that?  
Dave leant against him with a silent sigh, John could tell by the way he exhaled that it had been a sigh even if there was no accompanying sound. Once again he seemed solemn, not that John blamed him. Though he was surprised that Dave was sticking so close to him, even attempting to be…intimate with him. It was confusing to John to say the least. He decided not to dwell on it and climbed out of bed, his eyes eventually coming to rest on Dave’s collar once he turned to look at him again, seeing it still around Dave’s neck bothered him. He thought about removing it but maybe something to eat first.

“I bet you’re hungry right?” John asks giving Dave a bright smile, Dave hesitantly nodded back which just made John smile brighter. “Okay then follow me,” he said leading the way back through the house to the kitchen. He thought that cereal should be okay, the simple dinner last night didn’t appear to have caused Dave any problems so he poured two bowls of cereal and milk though he was dubious as with the previous night of giving Dave too much. To his dismay Dave sat down on the floor as he had the night before. John put the two bowls on the table before bending down and once again patiently guiding Dave to sit in a chair at the table.   
“We eat our meals at the table Dave,” he patiently explained for a second time, and he made sure to use Dave’s name when talking to him. Partly it was to make sure Dave knew he was being talked to but also to try and remind him he was his own person not a pet and he did have his own name. 

What happened next John supposed he probably should have expected, though it was still saddening if not outright startling to see. Dave lent forward and started trying to eat the cereal right out of the bowl; completely ignoring his spoon, like a dog or cat would eat out of their food bowl.   
“No Dave stop…. We….” He paused, he could see he had Dave’s confused and…slightly fearful attention. Did he think he was about to get scolded for doing something wrong? John took a deep calming breath, “we use a spoon when we eat cereal…” He explained while trying to keep his nerve. Dave however gave John a quizzical look before noticing the spoon that lay forgotten by his bowl; he picked it up and looked at John for further instructions. “L-like this…” John said demonstrating for Dave as he had the night before, and Dave in turn mimicking him. He managed this to some success though he did spill a little. It was definitely soul destroying for John to watch and to know, even just a little of the truth of how he had been treated and told and even continued to behave and act. 

Dave soon got a handle on how to use the spoon by the time he finished, giving John the impression that he had once known how to do this as well as other things, he’d just been told and expected not to for long enough that he couldn’t quite remember how without a little prompting first. 

As John cleaned up their bowls Dave kept his eyes on him the whole time, as if he was expecting something, as if something was supposed to happen now and just like with everything else it unnerved John. Turning back to Dave he crouched down a little so that they were on the same eye level.

“I think we should take this off, don’t you?” John said reaching out for the collar around Dave’s neck and to his surprise causing Dave to flinch, John blinked not sure if that had really happened. Slowly, carefully and just a little wearily he unfastened the collar; slowly removing it and not expecting what he saw next. There was a thin scar going around the front of Dave’s neck. Seeing it effectively stunned John into silence as is eyes explored the old wound, as he looked he involuntarily reached out to touch it, however he managed to stop himself just short of Dave’s skin. Curious as to if this was the Reason he couldn’t speak. Had his brother done this to him also? Or was this from something else? John realised that while he’d gotten lost in thought Dave had gone stock still, so he slowly put his hand back down and Dave seemed to relax a little.

“Sorry,” John apologised, “You don’t have to wear this anymore,” he said gripping the collar tightly. To his further surprise and dismay Dave looked panic stricken at this notion, like he _wanted_ to wear it. “You…..you still want to..” John swallowed hard, “ wear this?” He asked uncertainly, holding out the collar. Dave nodded in response and feeling somewhat discouraged John held it out for Dave to take. He looked a little confused at first but eventually took it and carefully refastened it around his neck, directly over his scar John noticed. Maybe this was less about something forced and more about insecurity? Perhaps he could get Dave to ditch the collar if he found another way to hide the scar, another thing he’d have to consider. 

This incident brought the fact that they had no way to communicate properly back to the front of John’s mind. He really did need to find a way around that.   
“Do you know how to write?” He asked, but Dave just tilted his head in a confused manner. “You know..” John reached for a pen and paper and wrote the word “writing”. Dave didn’t respond but simply looked uncertain as if he wasn’t sure what the answer was, whether it was ‘yes’ or ‘no’. John however was willing to bet that he had at some point at least known how to write and just like with how to eat properly he just needed reminding, he was also pretty certain that Dave could read….or at least he hoped. 

An idea struck him.   
“Come with me.” He led Dave back into the living room and turned on the TV flicking through the channels until he found an educational TV show about writing and reading as well as correct pronunciation. He really hoped it would help even a little and not be too patronising to someone Dave’s age. However for now it was the best solution he had short of sitting down and teaching Dave himself, and he really wasn’t even sure how to do that, let alone didn’t really have the time as he had some serious house work to do, plus making arrangements to accommodate Dave properly, he needed to make sure there was enough food in the house for two people and he would eventually like to take Dave out to get him more clothes, he couldn’t let him live out of one set after all.

“Okay so, why don’t you sit here and watch this, it should help you….learn how to write okay?” He’d almost said ‘remember’ but he wasn’t sure if that would have been the right word to use…not that he was happy with the word ‘learn’ either. He supplied Dave with a pen and paper in case it would help him to follow along, before leaving to get on with his house work. However twice Dave simply got up and started following him around the house again, both times John had to sit him back down and explain what he wanted him to do. Since it was obvious Dave understood spoken language and he was hoping…betting even that he could read he was just hoping that Dave simply needed a little push to remember.


	4. Where it started

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Insight into where it all went wrong for Dave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual this fic has no beta reader so if you spot mistakes or something is confusing let me know.   
> Also trigger warnings.  
> This chapter gets VERY explicit. If you do not like or are triggered by incest, non-con, rape, sexual abuse, or underaged sex then turn away now. 
> 
> Otherwise enjoy.

Dave Strider was 19 years old and broken, broken and damaged in such a way that he was little more than his older brother’s fuck doll. He had no will of his own, it had long been stamped out of him, he lived only because his older brother told him too, he ate only when he was told to, did only what he was told to. He was incapable of independent thought because that was how his brother liked it.

Dave had been born with breathing problems and a botched operation to correct it had left him with not only a surgical scar around the bottom front part of his neck but also with completely mangled vocal cords. He had been rendered completely incapable of speech but was at least able to make the occasional little noise or gasp. This didn’t deter his parents though who started teaching him sign language and his brother Dirk who was 18 years older than him was mature enough to understand why his little brother couldn’t talk. 

When Dave was about 8 his parents unfortunately died in a car accident and his older brother became his legal guardian. They got back on their feet and things were fine for a while. Dirk however was stretched a little thin having to support his younger brother, something made just a little bit more difficult by Dave being mute. He eventually began to resent Dave little by little. 

When Dave reached puberty at about 12 years old, that was when things really took a turn for the worse, for Dave at least. At first Dirk only started touching him inappropriately. Feeling him up through his clothes to begin with but then slowly getting bolder. Slipping his hands under Dave’s clothes and exploring his skin with his hands, sliding them down the back of Dave’s boxers and subtly groping him and teasing him. Dave knew it was wrong and it made him uneasy, he tried to tell Dirk to stop but Dirk just ignored whatever he signed, and he was far too strong for Dave to push away. Any resistance Dave put up usually stopped if Dirk only reassured him it was okay and that it was just that he loved Dave so much. It might have been true in the beginning or just the way Dirk rationalised his behaviour to himself. 

When Dave was 14 Dirk got even bolder. One night he pulled Dave into his lap, pressed soft kisses onto the back of his younger brother’s neck. When Dave tried to get up and leave Dirk merely pulled him back down. He slid his hand into the front of Dave’s boxers and began to fondle him gently. Dave quivered as Dirk tenderly stroked his cock and got him hard. Dirk smirked knowing that he was the one doing this to his little brother, it made him feel powerful and in control. Dave gasped feebly and tried to resist but Dirk just shushed him and told him it was okay. It didn’t take long for him to get Dave to ejaculate, after all he was an inexperienced 14 year old.   
“Go clean up.” Was all Dirk said to his brother after making him come in his boxers. 

Over the next two years instances like this just got more and more common and slowly began to escalate. Dirk got bolder and bolder in his sexual abuse of Dave, but that wasn’t all as he eventually began to abuse Dave in other ways. Shortly after Dave had turned 15 Dirk began ignoring his signing in completely, not just when Dave tried to stop him from molesting him but in all instances. He began controlling when and what Dave ate. Even forbidding him from touching himself and masturbating unless he was there to watch and just generally treating him less and less like a human being, slowly wearing him down anyway he could unless in the company of others. As a result Dave slowly became more and more withdrawn, the complete opposite of the child he’d been when he was younger. 

Just before Dave turned 16 Dirk took him out of high school, stating that he was unhappy with the schools performance and blaming them for how withdrawn Dave had come, saying that he’ll home school him and get Dave to get a GED when he was of graduating age. However this was just a ploy so that he could control Dave even more. Keep him inside at all times, this also took away the risk of someone finding out or Dave telling someone what was going on, making him feel more secure about his behaviour towards Dave. 

Then on the 3rd of December that year, Dave’s 16th birthday. Dirk finally crossed the line that he’d been threatening to for years and raped him.

He’d forced Dave down onto his own bed just as it turned midnight and became Dave’s birthday. Dirk stripped him of his clothes, kissing Dave’s neck softly as he straddled his naked frame. Unfastening his own jeans and beginning to jerk himself off in order to get hard. Once he was he moved into a better position, settling himself between Dave’s legs, hooking them over his own hips and pulling his younger brother closer. Dave tried to struggle but Dirk was stronger than him and just dragged him back into place.   
“Now now, none of that Dave. I’m giving you something special for you birthday,” he’d said as he lubed himself up and then pushed himself gently and slowly into his younger brother. Dave choked out a gasp and tightened around Dirk’s cock reflexively. 

Dirk started thrusting into him slowly and gently, treating Dave tenderly and being careful. He kissed him softly on the lips, sliding his tongue into Dave’s mouth and sucking on his lips. He was soft and slow and that was for Dave’s benefit. Dave tried to resist but his attempts were pitiful because he had very little strength of will left, Dirk had done such a good job of diminishing it up to this point. Gently he then took Dave’s hardening cock in his hand and started to slowly stroke it, occasionally thumbing the head and teasing him. Gradually he increased both the pace of his thrusts and the working of his hand until Dave came prematurely, shooting semen all over his own chest and choking out quite gasps and moans, the best he could manage with his butchered vocal cords. Dirk smirked, pleased with himself and kept thrusting faster and faster until he reached his own orgasm and ejaculated inside Dave with a shudder and a satisfied moan. He kept his dick inside Dave until he was finished, filling him up and marking him for his own, tainting his own brother.

But it was a mistake to think that Dirk was finished there, that he was satisfied with doing it just once.   
“That one was for you, this next one is for me,” he’d said to Dave as he pulled out, grinning dangerously with dark intentions. 

He forced Dave over onto his front, being a lot rougher with him now. He pulled Dave’s hips towards his own and ground against him a little to get hard again humming a little as he felt his arousal building again. Once he was stiff he pushed his dick back into Dave, but this time he did it hard and fast with little to no consideration for Dave this time. The first time Dirk had been gentle and that was for Dave’s sake. Might as well be nice to him once right? For all the times following this were going to be for Dirk and his own pleasure, not Dave’s.

He thrust into Dave violently, slamming into him and driving his dick into him as deep as he could. Dave gasped and moaned his quiet little choked noises before eventually starting to sob quietly. The first time had been horrible even though Dirk had been gentle but now it was almost unbearable as Dirk was intent to fuck him as hard as he could, and it just hurt so much. This time Dirk made Dave ejaculate all over his bed covers before eventually doing so himself once again keeping his cock inside Dave until he’d finished. Then whispering in the teen’s ear that he belonged to him and nobody else and that this was all he was good for, this was his purpose.


	5. Play thing.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continued flash back focusing on a particularly traumatising incident for Dave, and the introduction of another perpetrator of the abuse he suffered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual this fic has no beta reader so if you spot mistakes or something is confusing let me know. There will likely be one more chapter of flash back after this.
> 
> Also trigger warnings.  
> This chapter is VERY explicit. If you do not like or are triggered by incest, non-con, rape, sexual abuse, or under-aged sex then turn away now.
> 
> Otherwise enjoy and sorry for the long wait.

It took Dirk only a few months to reduce Dave to nothing more than an obedient sex doll, soulless and with no free will of his own. He was trained to behave like nothing more than a possession or a pet, whose only purpose was to please their ‘owner’ in whatever way they saw fit. He was to be completely submissive and dependent on the one that 'owned' him. 

Things didn’t stop there however, Dirk had a boyfriend, someone he'd spent time slowly pushing and grooming almost as much as Dave but this time to share his way of thinking, or rather his depraved sexual desire rather than to be completely submissive to him. Jake English was almost as much a victim of Dirk’s mental manipulation as Dave was, but through Dirk's machinations he also became a perpetrator and fellow abuser. He always had misgivings but it was just so easy for Dirk to push him into things, and it wasn’t like he didn’t enjoy the things they did…despite the guilt that came with them.

It had started simply by Dirk having sex with Jake where Dave was forced to watch or with Dirk making Jake watched as he fondled and played with Dave. Eventually Dirk encouraged Jake to ‘play’ with and touch Dave, culminating in him convincing Jake to have sex with Dave while he watched. To Dave it had been like going through his child hood all over again just with a different abuser as well as an audience. It served to further break Dave's sense of self. 

The time that stuck most vividly in Dave’s mind through all of the abuse Dirk and Jake jointly committed against him, was the time that Dirk had blind folded him and cuffed his hands around his font. He’d forced Dave to give Jake a blowjob, but only until he’d gotten hard, not all the way to climax; before then making him straddle Jake and ride him. 

It had felt so awkward and unnatural feeling Jakes slicked cock push into him as Dirk lowered him onto Jake. He had braced his cuffed hands against Jake's chest, and began to roll his hips as soon as he felt Jake's penis push all the way into him. He didn't hesitate and he didn't complain he was after all trained not to, and he knew what was expected of him with little to no instructions a testament to just how used to this he was. He felt Jake's hands slip alone his thighs and grope him softly as he moved. 

It had only been a few seconds before he felt the bed shift and his brothers weight pressing against him. His breath hitched in his throat as he felt Dirk pressing soft kisses against his shoulders and neck, sucking lightly at his skin. Jake groaned and thrust upwards, clearly finding the imagery combined with Dave's movements arousing. Dirk smirked and whispered into Dave's ear,  
"good boy Dave." Before gently biting and sucking on Dave's ear lobe, eliciting another thrust from Jake.

Dirk pulled away from Dave for a moment, squirting lube onto his fingers before moving back into place directly behind his brother. He fondled he crevice of Dave's ass causing the boy to shudder slightly with unwanted pleasure. Soon he was forcing two of his fingers into Dave alongside Jakes cock, stretching him painfully, causing him to stop moving and gasp near silently, his fingers curling on Jake's chest. Dirk didn't wait long before starting to thrust his fingers in and out of Dave, causing him more pain and distress. 

Dave tensed up from the pain, tears welling in his eyes, and choking back a pained sob.  
"You're a good boy Dave, you can take it," Dirk said in his ear before starting to kiss and suck at his neck and shoulders once again, but this time harder, leaving little marks on his skin. Jake on the other hand had started to feel guilty, just from seeing how much this was hurting the younger Strider and how distressed he was. Such feelings of guilt didn't last however as the feeling of Dirk's fingers rubbing up against his cock sent waves of pleasure through him, pushing the guilt from his mind. 

After a while Dirk pulled his fingers out but not because he was finished playing with or tormenting Dave. He unzipped his own trousers pushing them with his underwear down to his knees, quickly lubed up his erect penis before slowly forcing himself into Dave, his cock slowly sliding in alongside Jake's, stretching his younger brother even further, painfully forcing him to take them both. Dave tensed going completely rigid, his eyes scrunching shut beneath the blind fold, tears finally falling down his cheeks, even a small agonised gasp escaped him. 

"Shuush, it's okay...you can take it," Dirk whispered reassuringly and sensually in Dave's ear, wrapping one of his arms around Dave's front and clutching him to his body as he continued to force himself into him. The extra friction against Jake's penis was starting to drive him crazy with pleasure, he was making short, slow, shallow thrusts, his back arching as he moaned and whined with building ecstasy. 

Dirk didn't stop, didn't even pause once he'd forced himself all the way in, he immediately began to thrust, slowly at first. Both getting Dave more accustomed to what was happening and teasing Jake.

"Hmmmn...D-Dirk..please..." Jake gasped, begging. Dirk liked getting him to beg it gave him an even greater sense of power and control and it was nice to hear someone be in such desperate need that they had to ask. It was a sense of pleasure and gratification that Dave couldn't give him. He began to thrust harder and faster into his younger brother.

Jake moaned loudly, his back arching as he bucked up into Dave once again. Dirk continued to thrust hard, as one of his hands travelled down Dave's front , eventually taking a hold of the younger's stiff penis and started to stroke the shaft. He teased and thumbed the head occasionally, forcing Dave's body to feel and react to the stimulation even while his mind didn't want to. Dave shuddered from the pleasure he didn't want to feel that some small part of him wished he was numb to, but his body was so expertly trained to react exactly how his brother wanted it to, and the will to resist and fight back didn't exist. 

"You sure are a good boy Dave, a good pet, nice and compliant just like you should be," Dirk whispered into his ear before running his tongue over it. "But you know, you're not allowed..mmmn...you're not allowed to come until Jake does," he said biting Dave's ear at the same time as gripping his cock tightly. Jake let a small moan escape him, he was so close to reaching orgasm it was almost unbearable. He rolled his hips thrusting lightly into Dave, his stiff cock rubbing against Dirk's as the other continued to thrust hard and unrelenting into the tight space. 

Jake didn't hold out much longer, he came gripping tightly at Dave's thighs enough to leave scratches, while moaning Dirk's name. By this time Dave was crying silently with effort of holding back, pre-come dripping onto Jake's stomach. 

"Such a good boy, isn't he Jake?" Dirk said biting softly at Dave's neck and loosening his grip on Dave's cock. "Holding back just like I told him to," he added between bites.  
"Mmmnn...y-yes," Jake stuttered back coming down from his orgasm but still in a high state of arousal considering he could still feel Dirk's penis rubbing against his own as he continued to move. 

The older strider started to thrust faster, his hand sliding up and down Dave's erection pushing him towards his climax. Dave's whole body stiffened further as he came, ejaculating onto Jake's chest. This was followed shortly by a sudden, sharp thrust from his older brother as he too reached climax, spilling his seed into Dave, the fluid mixing with Jake's. He moaned with satisfaction before resting heavily against Dave and running his hands up and down Dave's sides and chest softly. 

It was a few minutes before he finally pulled away from his brother and slowly pulled out, eliciting an almost silent pained cry from Dave and a soft moan from Jake. Dirk then helped Dave to pull off of Jake, but was soon gripping the boy's blond hair tightly with one hand.

"Oh dear Dave, you seem to have made a mess," Dirk said snidely before forcing Dave to lean forward his head a mere inch from the white substance he'd sprayed onto Jake's chest.  
"Clean it up."  
Needing no further instruction, the young Strider stuck out his tongue and started to lick Jake's skin clean as best he could considering he was still blindfolded, while Dirk got further gratification simply from watching. 

When Dirk was satisfied he yanked Dave up into a sitting position harshly by his hair, not caring at all for the quiet distressed noise Dave made as he was forced up.   
"You're done now," Dirk said almost venomously, forcing Dave off of Jake and pushing him aside now that he was done with him. He didn't care that there was semen and blood running between his brothers legs or that he was still cuffed and blindfolded, he had no further use for him at the moment so just pushed him into an empty space on the bed to be forgotten about until he wanted him again. 

Dirk positioned himself between Jake's legs, hooking the other mans legs over his hips and pulling him closer, smiling a little deviously not a single guilty thought about how he'd just used and discarded his own brother so brutally, nor for his brothers continued suffering. 

"Oh dear Jake," he started, as he ran his hand over Jake's crotch. "Was having my play thing lick you clean really so stimulating?" He asked his tone almost mocking as he ran his hand slowly and teasingly over Jake's hardening penis. He lent down and kissed Jake deeply before he could even attempt to answer, gripping his messy black hair in his other hand, the one on Jake's crotch sliding upwards to grope at his chest as he started to nakedly grind against him. 

Dirk proceeded top pleasure and fuck Jake without a thought or a care spared to the other unwilling occupant of the bed. Dave was left there hurt, humiliated, in pain and completely forgotten until Dirk wanted to abuse him again. He couldn't beg for it to stop, or cry for help and he'd long stopped trying. He just cried silently as the bed rocked and the mattress creaked.


	6. Baby Sitter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John has to go perform over night, and needs a friend to look after Dave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, Sorry that it's been so long since I last updated this. Life got in the way, and I lost my motivation for a while. I know this isn't the greatest chapter, but I don't think I'll ever be happy with it so I might as well just post it. Mostly it's just a bridge for something I plan to happen later. Either way I hope you enjoy it.

If John had to guess, it was probably a month since he'd rescued Dave....yeah he was definitely considering that a rescue. Even if it was strictly speaking it was more true that he had bought and paid for Dave, his intention had just been to get him out of there, not to own him like a possession. 

Progress with Dave was slow, he could communicate in writing now, even though his sentences were usually short and simple. His hand writing was slowly improving as well, but as long as John could read it, it wasn't much of an immediate concern. Really it had been so long since Dave had written anything at all, it was hardly surprising that his skills weren't much better than a child's. Still John did his best to keep encouraging Dave, reassuring him at times that this was okay. He had to slowly undo all of the damage Dave's brother had done, because it was clear he'd made Dave think and feel that he wasn't allowed to say anything, even or rather especially if he didn't like something. So sometimes it was hard to get much out of Dave at all, relearning how to communicate was only half the problem, he also had to learn that he was allowed to express himself. 

The first time he'd had to leave Dave at home alone all night had been a huge worry. It was probably about two weeks after bringing him home. He'd had to leave Dave alone before of course, but only while he ran quick errands, times where he made sure he was only gone an hour or two at the most. This night however he'd had to go to one of his gigs as a pianist, he'd been pretty sure it was not a good idea to take Dave with him. It also wasn't like he could hire a baby sitter for a 19 year old. He'd considered calling a friend, but he wasn't sure how comfortable he was with that either. 

Eventually John had decided that, he was less comfortable with leaving Dave alone all night, than he was with leaving him with a friend. He was sure Dave would be able to cope with being on his own after all he had before, but John had never left him alone this long before, what if something happened? It wasn't like Dave could phone or call someone for help. Eventually John settled on calling his friend Karkat. Sure the guy kind of shouty, and had a short temper as well as a foul mouth, but he actually cared deep down. Actually explaining the situation....Now that was the hard part. He was sure he'd get berated if he told the truth, he didn't like lying but for now he didn't feel like he had much of a choice. 

On the phone he explained that he was looking after a friend, but he had to go out to perform and needed someone to keep an eye on him for the night. Karkat begrudgingly accepted, thankfully not asking too many questions. That was...Until he turned up at about 5pm, a little while before John had to leave. 

"What the hell Egbert! I thought you wanted me to look after a kid or something. This guy is a fucking adult! What does he need a baby sitter for!?" Karkat practically exploded as soon as he saw Dave. The shouting actually made Dave flinch a little.  
"Shh Karkat please, he just.....Look he has some difficulties..." John paused, he felt guilty for putting it that way, it felt like he was over simplifying and trivialising the abuse that Dave had suffered, but he still didn't feel like he could share the truth of the situation. "And he's completely mute, if I wasn't going to be gone all night I wouldn't ask. I'm just worried in case something happens...I mean it's not like he can call or shout for help," John explained.  
Karkat glowered at him for a little while, but eventually gave in. He seemed satisfied for now with John's explanation, if just a little bit grumpy.  
Before he left John explained and re-explained, and triple checked that Dave understood what was going on. What was and wasn't expected. That when he went to bed he should sleep in his bed, and Karkat will sleep in the guest bed. Dave rarely slept in there anyway, nothing John tried had convinced Dave to sleep in his own bed so he'd just given up. However he had to make sure Dave didn't do the same thing with Karkat, and crawl into bed with him, because it would cause no end of awkward questions. 

"God Egbert he isn't a baby, I'm sure he understands you," Karkat complained, not actually hearing most of what John was saying, just assuming he was worrying over nothing.  
"Yeah....sorry." John however wasn't so sure. Experience told him Dave was having trouble getting over the things his brother had instilled in him, so John had to make sure there could be no misunderstanding with the things he was saying.  
John finally left after explaining there was food in the fridge, and that Karkat should help himself and to make sure Dave ate something too. Karkat nodded and told him to get lost, break a leg and all that jazz. He closed the door when John had finally pulled his car out of the drive. Sighing as he turned to Dave, what the fuck was he supposed to do with a 19 year old that didn't speak? John had said he could look after himself, that Karkat was just there in case something happened. Yet somehow Karkat wasn't so sure about that, maybe it was the fact he didn't...couldn't talk, but he got the feeling something was very wrong here. 

For most of the evening they just sat and watched TV, Karkat noticed that Dave seemed to keep his distance. He also felt more than a little like the other was watching him when he wasn't looking, like he was afraid or expecting something. Maybe it was just his imagination. He made a couple of attempts at conversation, John had explained that Dave could write his side of a conversation down no problem. However it seemed that maybe he didn't want to....Or didn't know what to say so Karkat gave up trying to talk to him in the end. He got the feeling more than a little that Dave missed John, and he started wondering what was going on here, how close were they? He shook the thoughts from his head, whatever it was, wasn't his business. 

When he asked Dave what he wanted to eat, he just shrugged. So Karkat looked in John's fridge and just cooked them whatever. He noticed that Dave seemed to hesitate slightly when handed his plate, but he took it and started eating...Though 'pick at his food' might have been a more accurate description. Karkat began to question what Dave's difficulties might have been, maybe he just wasn't good at looking after himself, despite what John had said? Or maybe he had some kind of disorder aside from being mute? He was completely off base of course, and he didn't ask because he didn't think he'd get an answer, besides doing so would be rude, no matter how odd or wrong things seemed. 

Few hours later, after Karkat subjected Dave to a couple of his favourite rom-coms ,(he'd brought them with him of course, he couldn't trust John to have anything to his taste on DVD), it was time for bed. Though Dave seemed to already be half way there, starting to fall asleep by the end of the second film. He had seemed like he was bored for a long time, he could have said something....Though maybe he didn't want to be rude. The boy was definitely strange. 

Karkat hesitated before deciding to gently shake him awake, he'd noticed how jumpy Dave was even though the he did his best to hide it. So he wasn't too surprised when Dave jolted awake. He made sure to give him some space right away.  
"You should, go to bed if you're tired rather than sleeping here," Karkat said. Dave just nodded in response, getting up from his chair and going to the bathroom to get ready for bed. 

Fortunately John had been clear enough in telling Dave to sleep in his bed, because he didn't try to squeeze in with Karkat during the night. Though Karkat found it slightly odd that Dave slept in John's bed at all. Maybe they were more than just friends? He shook his head. So what if they were more than just friends, it wasn't his business who John spent his time with. He rolled over in the guest bed and pushed all thoughts about the day's events from his mind as he tried to fall asleep, reminding himself that it was rude to be so nosy.  
It was eight in the morning the next day when John came home. He'd stayed at the venue over night because his performance had ended in the early hours of the morning, and he hadn't wanted to drive home that late.  
"Honey I'm home!" He called out jokingly as he walked in his front door. The disgruntled groan from Karkat was audible even though he was in the kitchen. John just laughed and finished letting himself in, and closed the door behind him. He could smell Karkat cooking breakfast, so he decided to look in there first.  
"Is any of that for me?" He asked sticking his head around the door.  
"I suppose, though I should tell you to go to hell and cook your own," Karkat sighed. The only reason he didn't was because it was John's food he was cooking to start with.  
"Where's Dave?"  
"Still in bed I think." Karkat bit his lip, deciding to hold back on the many questions that had started buzzing around his head since the previous night. 

John, none the wiser of Karkat's concerns went to check on Dave. He knocked softly on the door as he pushed it open. He saw Dave shift in the bed with his back to him. John sat down on the edge of the bed, and gently nudged Dave awake.  
"Hey, time to get up," he said softly.  
Dave shifted some more before turning to face John, rubbing his eyes a little. He sat up when he realised it was John, then suddenly hugged him tightly. They had only been living together a short while, but John took this as a pretty clear sign that Dave had missed him, even though he'd only been gone one night. He certainly did seem to be attached, or maybe it was just that he relied so heavily on him? John gently wrapped his own arms around Dave and softly rubbed his back.  
"Are you okay?" He asked.  
Dave didn't let go or pull back, but John felt him nod his head.  
"Karkat's making breakfast so.....you should get dressed and come have something to eat okay?" John said, being the one to pull away, looking Dave in the eyes as he finished talking. Dave again nodded, and John smiled. "Okay then well, I'll go ahead to the kitchen while you get dressed." He smiled and then stood up from the bed. Dave was starting to stretch as he left the room closing the door behind him, and went back to the kitchen a gentle smile on his face. 

Karkat had already served up one plate of bacon, eggs and fried tomato when John walked in, so he helped himself to that plate while Karkat got started on another breakfast set.  
"Shouldn't you be the one cooking for their guests?" He complained as John took the plate.  
"Yeah but...I've only just got home," he said innocently big eyes and all, sitting down at the table to start eating. Karkat glared for a moment, before turning his attention back to what he was doing. 

It was another 5 or so minutes before Dave appeared, just as Karkat had finished breakfast set number two. He sighed and handed the boy the plate, then got started on breakfast number three. Suffice to say John was now out of several food items and would probably need to go shopping later. Dave nodded his head in thanks then sat down at the table to eat. Karkat eventually joined them, an awkward kind of silence descending.

Eventually Karkat managed to strike up a conversation, asking John how his gig had gone. The two talked about it for a while as John described the venue, the crowd and the atmosphere. Dave mostly just listened, he didn't know how to contribute to the conversation. 

A few hours passed, and eventually Karkat had to leave. He said good bye, John's own was cheery, Dave's was a hesitant wave. In the end he'd managed not to ask any of the questions flying around his head, he knew it really wasn't his place to ask, but still he couldn't help but think something was off. He'd known John for years, and had never met Dave before. Dave also looked years younger than either of them, though John assured him Dave was only a year younger than either of them, a fact the mute boy confirmed. He could only be someone John had met recently...Yet they seemed so close. 

He didn't want to pry, but he was concerned, and also curious. As he walked back to his car he pulled out his phone, and called a mutual friend of his and John's, a girl who had known him longer.  
"Hi Jade? Yeah it's me....Hey this is gonna sound strange but I have something to ask you," he said as he unlocked his car door and got in. 

He felt like maybe he was going to end up dropping John in some trouble....But despite his standoffish attitude Karkat, really did care about his friend. He just wanted to make sure everything was okay, and couldn't help the twisted worried feeling in his gut.


	7. Panic at the store.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a month at least since John brought Dave home, in that time Dave has been borrowing his clothes. It's time to get the fragile boy his own, but their trip outside isn't as smooth as either would have liked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again sorry for the long pause between updates. I suddenly had to work full time for a while, and I also got hit by pretty bad writers block. I can't promise updates will be more regular, but I'll at least try. Also this chapter doesn't flow as well as I'd like and feels a bit rambly, I might revisit it later, but for now here it is. I hope you enjoy.

Two weeks after John's over night gig, Karkat's concerns still hadn't caught up with the musician and his charge. He was completely unaware of his friend's worries, in fact he had a few of his own. So far he'd been letting Dave borrow his clothes, which were admittedly a little big for him. This was because to get clothes that properly fit, he'd need to take Dave out, so far he'd been a little scared to take Dave anywhere public. He didn't know how Dave would react with crowds. However, he no longer saw that he had much of a choice, Dave needed his own clothes, and it might be a good thing...To slowly re-introduce him to the world. He sure as hell couldn't keep him inside all the time, it wasn't healthy. 

When John broached the subject, Dave seemed weary of this. John reassured him he could say no, but it would still leave them with a problem of needing clothes for Dave, and he didn't want to buy them online in case it turned out they didn't fit, they couldn't really wait for them to be delivered, send them back, and wait for new ones. Dave's need was a bit more urgent than that, partly because John had left it for so long. Besides he'd prefer Dave to actually pick, choose, and try them on himself. Dave didn't outright refuse to go, but he did seem anxious. So John reassured him that he'd be with Dave every step of the way, and they could leave when he'd had enough. Though maybe he didn't refuse, because he still felt he had to do exactly as he was told. That thought wasn't encouraging. 

"Okay so just stick by me, and everything should be fine," John said with a smile, trying to be positive and reassuring. Dave just nodded in response. As they walked out to the car John noticed Dave squinting once they were outside, he remembered Dave doing something similar when he'd first brought him home. Maybe there was something wrong with his eyes? He hadn't really noticed it around the house, and it wasn't like Dave went outside, not even into John's back garden. If he asked Dave, would he even know? His brother had broken him down so much and so far, that even Dave probably didn't know what were problems he'd been born with, and what ones had been created by the years of abuse. At least he'd gotten Dave to stop wearing that collar....Though only by substituting it was bandages. It really had turned out to be more about Dave's insecurity over the visible scar, though that had probably been caused by Dirk as well. John shook his head, he tried not to think about that man, he found himself getting angry whenever he did. 

He let Dave into the car, then climbed into the driver's side seat. Putting on his seatbelt and making sure Dave did the same before starting the engine and setting off. It was only a 20 minuet drive to the nearest shopping centre. He parked close to the building, and told Dave to stick close to him. It turned out he didn't really need to, Dave was almost like his shadow, and he noticed the blond tensing up as they entered a more crowded area. It had probably been a long time, years in fact since Dave had been surrounded by so many people. Carefully John took Dave's hand in his own, felt him jump as he did so. "It's okay, I'm just holding your hand so we don't get separated," John explained. He didn't want to treat Dave like a child, but he really did seem to be getting anxious with so many people around. They'd get some odd looks, but to hell with other people. 

He didn't tell John, but Dave really didn't like being surrounded by so many people. There were so many faces in the crowed, he didn't feel safe. What if he knew some of these people? What it they were people that had fucked him, would they recognise him?....Would they still expect something from him? Would they try and convince John to let them have some time 'alone' with him? What if John said yes? What if it started all over again? He didn't want that. He was starting to like living with John. John didn't touch him sexually, didn't expect anything from him, didn't force him to do anything. It had taken him some time to learn he didn't need to 'please' John, the way he had pleased his brother. John treated him like a person, had got him to re-learn how to write, had started talking about signing them both up for lessons in ASL, so they could 'talk' more easily. He thought he would like that, he remembered he used to love talking with his hands.....He no longer remembered how. 

It must have been obvious that he was lost inside his own head, because he heard John calling his name a couple of times, before he realised.  
"Hey are...You okay?" John asked a little worried, Dave seemed lost in thought and his breathing had picked up a little, like he was starting to panic. Dave took a deep breath and nodded, he was okay....He thought, just needed to stay calm or try to anyway. "Okay well, we're in the guy's section now, so just keep an eye out for things that you like okay?" He'd saved enough over the last month to be able to afford a few sets of reasonably priced clothes, so as long as Dave didn't go for anything too expensive it would be fine. 

Dave soon found himself looking at shirts and t-shirts, John was standing close by with a basket he'd grabbed on his way into the section. He'd noticed that Dave hadn't stopped squinting the whole time they were in the store, he wondered if it was because the lights were so bright. After a little while Dave put a few shirts and tees into the basket, and began looking at other things.

As he was looking through some more shirts he caught a glimpse of someone and froze, he was sure they looked familiar. He remembered how after seeing how easy it had been to manipulate Jake into joining in with the abuse, Dirk had seen an opportunity to make a bit of extra money. He'd begun selling Dave's body for the pleasure of others, whoring him out to strangers. Occasionally Dirk liked to watch, getting some voyeuristic enjoyment out of watching other people violate and rape his little brother. He had a set of rules, what they were and were not allowed to do to Dave, if they had specific fetishes they wanted to act out they had to ask Dirk first. He had however been generally okay with most things, anything that he didn't find too disgusting or that wouldn't injure Dave too severely, and clients always had to wear a condom. He hadn't wanted Dave catching anything or by extension himself, just because some asshole he didn’t know and didn’t wear a condom. As well as watching, Dirk occasionally made video’s with consent of the client of Dave getting raped, molested and toyed with, sometimes even just of the boy playing with himself. Whatever it was that took Dirk’s fancy, it was also another way he raked in more money. Selling the footage online as pay to view. 

Dave shook his head and turned around, he didn't want to remember that, didn't want to think about that. It was gone, it didn't happen anymore, John had saved him from that life....But what if one of those many people was here, and recognised him? What of all the people that had watched videos of him online, and gotten sick pleasure from his sexual abuse? It could be anyone. He started to feel his chest tighten, it was getting difficult to breath. He looked around wildly, panicked as he realised he'd lost sight of John. A distressed sound left his throat as he began to think John had left him there. 

He jolted when he felt a hand on his shoulder, fully expecting the man he thought he recognised, but instead was relieved to find out it was John.  
"Are you okay?" The question John felt, probably was a bit stupid. It was clear Dave wasn't okay, but he didn't know what else to say. "Do you want to go sit down?" Dave nodded in response, and John led him over to some chairs so they could both rest for a while. He let Dave catch his breath, trying to help him calm down and get his breathing under control. It took a while but eventually Dave seemed to have recovered a bit, though they would stay sitting down for a while longer, just to be safe. He gave Dave a bottle of water out of his bag, before then fishing out a note pad and pen so they could communicate better. 

"Did something happen?" John asked, wanting to understand what had set Dave off, and if possible avoid it happening again. Dave paused before starting to write. 'Thought I recognised someone.'  
"From when you were with your brother?"  
Dave nodded his response to that question. John frowned in thought, he should have considered this could be an issue...However he didn't want Dave to be afraid of going outside, or to be afraid of other people. "Okay well, in future we'll just try to stay closer together okay?" That had been the plan to start with, but they must have wandered a little away from each other at some point.  
Again Dave nodded his response.  
"Do you want to go home for today? We can come again tomorrow," John suggested. Dave paused in thought, then started to write. 'I'm okay, we can continue for now.' Hopefully nothing else would happen. He'd rather try and get it all done in one day, rather than have to come again on a different day, and risk it happening again and again. 

They sat for a little while longer before going back to looking at clothes for Dave. He picked a few more shirts before John suggested they start looking at trousers. "Otherwise all you'll have is shirts," he'd said jokingly. The rest of the time they were in the store he kept a close eye on Dave, and a closer eye on those around him. No one really seemed to be paying him any mind, but John kept a look out just in case. After a while they went to the changing rooms so Dave could try things on, make sure they fit, and that he liked how they looked once he was wearing them. A few things were a bit big, so they swapped for a smaller size, but for the most part it all fit quite well. After that they went to get Dave socks and underwear, that didn't take as long. 

On their way to the check out they passed a display stand of sunglasses and John paused. Dave gave him a curious head tilt. "You always seem to be uncomfortable in bright, or natural lighting, I was thinking a decent pair of these would help," he explained picking up on Dave's silent question. Honestly even now, after being in the store for a long time Dave was still squinting, not like he couldn't see, but as if he was uncomfortable. "Let's try a few," he said before starting to pick out glasses, and pointing to a mirror for Dave to see what they looked like. 

In the end he chose a pair of dark aviators, and once everything was paid for left the store wearing them. He couldn't say it, but to John at least, he looked a bit happier, more comfortable. To Dave it not only dealt with his light sensitivity problems, it also afforded him some kind of barrier. It made his face a little bit more obscure, made him a little bit less recognisable to people who 'knew' him. With any luck it would offer him some form of protection, against those that could possibly recognise him. Though even with them he was happy to be going home. Though he'd avoid a serious panic attack or incident, he still felt anxious, and had the whole time they'd remained in the store. He wanted to go home, he wanted to go back to John's house where he'd begun to feel safe and secure. People who wanted to hurt him weren't there, it was just him and John. No one wanted to touch him or use him, no one wanted to make him do things he didn't like.

He let himself back into the car with that thought, they were going back to somewhere safe. From John's perspective, he wanted Dave to feel safe wherever he was, not just at home. It was only now he was really realising that would require time and help....More than he'd anticipated. He saw the way Dave sighed with relief, the way he relaxed just a little once in the car. He hoped he could help Dave get better, to feel better. They'd already come quite far, but even John didn't know how much further they had to go. How many other problems may lie hidden that he didn't know about. Sure Dave was finally behaving like a person, and didn't try to 'please' John the way he hand in that first week or so, and he was communicating more and more. However that didn't mean that it was over by a long shot. Other people still made Dave nervous, as was clear by the time Karkat looked after him for a night, and just now by their trip to the store. John didn't think Dave would have done so well alone, he could have gotten into real trouble. 

John started the car with that thought in his head. He'd need to be a bit more aware and careful in future. However he was still going to need to help Dave reintegrate with society, and help him to learn how to look after himself...He still wasn't particularly good at that, or confident. He got the feeling Dave still felt like he was doing things wrong all the time.

It wasn't till they got back, that John really saw how much just going to the store had taken out of Dave. The way he carried himself as they went back into the house, it made him look tired. Straight away Dave indicated he wanted to go and lay down. Emotionally he felt tired, physically he felt exhausted and a bit nauseous. No doubt because of his bout of panic in the store, he'd pretty much forced himself to stay even though John had said they could go. He'd known they'd have to come back another day because he'd still need clothes, he didn't want to go back, not for a long, long time at least. It had been a necessary trip to get him things that he needed, but Dave wasn't sure he'd been ready for it. 

As Dave went to lay down, and hopefully recover a little, John set about sorting out his new clothes. Mostly for now just removing the tags and folding them. He'd need to clear a space in his draws and wardrobe for Dave's clothes, but that could wait until Dave had woken up. John didn't want to disturb him, he needed some rest. He considered that their little trip may have been too much too soon for Dave, and that maybe he should try introducing Dave to his own friends first. Get him used to knowing and communicating with people on a semi regular basis, people he would hopefully learn to trust. Maybe if John could get him used to a small group of friends, they could progress from there. But he wasn't so sure, he could only try and undo the damage that had been done, and only guess at the problems Dave faced every day. There was a lot he still didn't know, and that Dave probably had yet to realise himself.


	8. That last night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following his brief panic in the store, Dave decides to try and sleep off his anxiety. However he ends up reliving in part his last night with his abusive brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my readers for their patients. 
> 
> Trigger warnings for this chapter:  
> This chapter gets VERY explicit. If you do not like or are triggered by incest, non-con, rape, or sexual abuse. Then now is the time to turn away. 
> 
> Otherwise enjoy.

Their trip to the superstore had been more stressful for Dave than even he had realised. He could still feel the anxiety running through his body, scared of old clients finding him. Terrified of things returning to how they had been, as if his current life with John was almost too good to actually be true. He decided to try and sleep off the lingering anxiety. 

He went into John's room....No his and John's room. Kicking off his shoes and climbing into the bed. Even though he now understood that he didn't need to sleep with John, or do things for him...It now just made him feel safe to share the other's bed. John didn't seem to mind, so long as Dave remained aware of his boundaries, and the things he certainly didn't need to do...Or touch. 

He laid down feeling heavy and tired, he just wanted to forget about the person he'd thought he'd recognised at the store, and the bad memories that had come with it. He slid one arm under his pillow, and hugged it tightly as he closed his eyes.

For a while he dreamed of nothing, but soon his mind turned to unpleasant memories, no doubt influenced by his experience at the store. 

A few years after Dirk had started whoring Dave's body out to strangers, he'd managed to land himself in serious debt. His website no longer brought in the kind of money it once had, and he didn’t make near enough money selling Dave’s body to cover how expensive his lifestyle had become in recent years. Naturally he took his frustration from this out on Dave either by just out right beating him, or raping him. 

On top of this Dirk had also developed and intense jealousy and possessiveness, often finding himself needing to fuck or molest Dave right after a client had left, because even though he was the one selling him for sex he couldn’t stand the thought anymore, that other people were having sex with him. He ended up treating this like it was Dave’s fault.   
Eventually Dirk had to start selling off his possessions to cover his debts and within time came to the conclusion he needed to get rid of Dave as well. One less mouth to feed, and he could downsize to a smaller more affordable apartment. He put off getting rid of Dave for as long as he could, after all he still lusted after him, and could still make money from whoring him out. However he could also make a lot of money by selling him, a sizable amount...Enough to wipe out a huge chunk of his debt. While he didn't want to let go of Dave, that was purely for selfish means. He didn't actually care for Dave as a person, after all to Dirk he was simply a possession. One he could no longer afford to keep, as if he was getting rid of some kind of family pet that was no longer within his means to look after. 

He had to be careful about how he went about selling Dave however, hiding the advert well on one of his own websites so that only the right person (or in John’s case a recklessly curious individual doing some late night browsing,) would find it. He had hoped one of his regulars would find it, and buy Dave, however weeks passed before someone called enquiring about buying Dave. A young man by the name John Egbert, someone he'd never spoken to and whose name he did not recognise. Dirk was certain that this guy who sounded barely out of his teens, had no idea what he was doing, but if he had the money he didn’t care.

After John's call, and a deal had been struck Dirk decided that he would get as much ‘use’ out of Dave as he could, knowing he was going to be selling him to someone who was barely older than Dave the next Day. He was going to get as much sex and pleasure out of the boy as he could, before selling him away. After this he would only have his long term boyfriend Jake to sate his needs. 

“This is probably going our last night together pet…” He said cupping Dave’s cheek and gently rubbing his face with his thumb, looking down into those almost lifeless, frightened red eyes. He almost never used Dave’s name when he talked to him and rarely even when he was talking about him. He slid his hand into Dave’s hair, mock tenderness before he took hold of it tightly, and pulled his head to the side, causing Dave to wince. A short, quite, almost inaudible gasp escaping him. “So I’m going to make this last as long as possible…Get as much out of your pathetic body, as it can give me, and then more,” he promised as he unzipped his jeans with his free hand. With his pants open he pushed Dave down on himself. 

Dave needed no more instruction than that, and started to softly kiss and suck Dirk’s cock through his underwear drawing out a pleasured quiet moan from the man. Dave had done this enough times to know exactly how Dirk liked it. Soon Dirk pulled roughly on Dave’s hair, pulling him away once he was hard. He pushed down his boxers, freeing his hard cock. “Open up you little slut,” he ordered before sliding his hardening length into Dave’s mouth, “start sucking.” Dave sucked lightly at first, moving back and forth along Dirk’s shaft slowly. It didn't take long before Dirk began to thrust into his mouth, causing him to gag as Dirk pushed his cock deep into Dave’s throat effectively forcing his brother to deep throat him. The feel of Dave's flexing throat drawing a louder moan out of Dirk. 

His fist tightened in Dave's hair, and he began to thrust into his mouth in earnest. However he pulled out before he came, denying himself the orgasm and sparing Dave from having to swallow down his come. Dave looked at him confused, tears in his eyes but not yet falling down his face. "Don't worry pet, I'm not finished with you yet, we're going to have a lot more fun than this," he said getting up from where he sat and going over to a shelf. He'd already sold off most of the toys he'd had, but right now he only needed one. He took a cock ring off the self and turned back to Dave. 

"Get on the bed, on your hands and knees," he ordered, watching with twisted pleasure as Dave moved to obey. He climbed onto the bed behind him. Reaching around Dave's front, and sliding the ring onto the boys flaccid cock, all the way down to the base. "Can't have you coming before I do, can I? I want this to last all night, and you will only get your release when I'm done with you," Dirk said removing his shirt and beginning to rut against Dave's ass. He'd calmed down a little, and lost a little of his erection, couldn't have that. He could feel Dave tremble as he moved against him, one hand tightly gripped his hip, his other running over his brother's marred back. Scars and bruises littered Dave's pale skin, some of them still sensitive and painful. Dirk admired the marks with some twisted pleasure, before softly kissing some of them. Soon he sucked hard, even bit a little at some of the fading marks. Wanting to leave them fresh and vivid so Dave's new owner would know how used he was. He cared little how it hurt Dave when he sunk his teeth into his skin, thrusting his cock slowly between Dave's ass cheeks as he did. 

After a moment he pulled away, grabbed some lube from the bedside table. He took one of Dave's hands and squirted some of the liquid into it. "If you don't want it to hurt, you better prepare yourself," he said with a smirk before letting go of Dave's hand. He watched as Dave reached under himself, face flushed with shame, to begin fingering himself. Dave knew Dirk would fuck him either way, it was better if he did as he was told, it would hurt less than if Dirk fucked him dry. "Good boy," he praised mockingly, before resuming thrusting his cock between the younger's cheeks. He didn't wait long, soon pulling Dave's fingers out and pushing his cock in. He forced himself in with one thrust, gasping as he felt Dave tighten around him. He hummed with pleasure as he settled himself, soon beginning to thrust, slowly at first. 

Dirk worked himself up to a fast, merciless pace, gripping Dave's hips tight enough to leave marks. He grunted as he moved in and out, driving himself deep and closer to climaxing, caring not at all for any pain or pleasure Dave received. Eventually he came in Dave's ass, moaning as he filled him. For a moment he remained still before pulling out.

His breathing was fast, his body trembling as he came down from his orgasm. Dave was panting underneath him. After a moment, and all too soon for Dave, Dirk forced his little brother over onto his back. He smirked when he saw Dave's dick was hard. "Looks like you enjoyed that, but then what should I expect, you are a little slut after all," he taunted, smirking deviously. 

He lent down, running his tongue over the tip of Dave's cock, feeling it twitch, and knowing it must be torture for Dave, as the ring around the base of his shaft denied him release. He continued to lick and tease, before sucking the head of Dave's cock into his mouth, even biting him lightly. He took him all the way down to his base, sucking as he pulled back up. He pulled off Dave's length before teasing the head of his cock some more with his tongue. After a while he ended his torture, pulling away, and instead kissing his way up Dave's body. Deriving pleasure from the way Dave trembled underneath him. Soon he found one of the boys nipples, he ran his tongue over it, sucked on it gently before biting down, feeling Dave jolt from the pain. Oh how he loved hurting him. 

"I think it's time for round two. Don't you?" He said slyly, beginning to rut against Dave. Groaning as he felt Dave's hard cock rubbing against him as he moved. Once he was hard again, he slid his hands up under Dave's knees, and pushed them against the boys chest, as wide apart and open as he could get them, before once again forcing himself inside of the younger. Thrusts starting out shallow and slow, but soon turning hard and rough, driving deeper with each one. - 

Suddenly everything stopped. It all went black and suddenly Dave felt confused and disorientated, he became distantly aware that he was breathing very hard and rapid. He thought someone was calling his name, and for a moment he feared it was Dirk, before he realised it was someone else. Whoever it was, was also shaking his shoulder. Eventually he realised he was sitting up. Dave opened his eyes, and it took a while for it to sink in, this was not his room in his brother's apartment. It was not his brother that was calling him. This was John's room, in John's house. 

Trembling he looked to John, saw the concern on his face.   
"Are you okay? Well I mean....Clearly you're not...You're trembling, and......" John's voice was concerned, and Dave aside from being physically unable to answer, wasn't even sure how to. Gently John reached towards his face, Dave flinched, but didn't pull away. All John did was wipe away the tears that had begun to fall. Dave hadn't even realised he was crying.   
"Was it....A bad dream?" John didn't know how much of an understatement that phrasing was. Dave simply nodded, he didn't often relieve his memories when he slept, but when he did it was always like he was there again with no escape, as if he'd never even left. 

"Well you're safe here...At least...I hope you feel safe here," John tried to be reassuring. Suddenly he found himself being hugged. Dave wrapped his arms around him, and buried his face into John's shoulder, crying silently, body shaking. Gently John wrapped his own arms around Dave, and began to softly stroke the blonds back, hoping to provide some comfort. They sat there for a while, John muttering gentle words of reassurance to Dave, hoping to make him feel safe and secure. He wished he could do more, help dispel the bad dreams...The bad memories.


End file.
